Mr Edward Milne: Will my right hon. Friend consider the possibilities of an early debate on European unity, in view of the recent widespread perambulations in Europe and the need to clarify the situation?
Mr Edward Milne: Two subjects of greater importance than anything that my right hon. Friend has outlined for next week are European unity and the date of the Second Reading of the Development of Tourism Bill. Can he give us some information?
Mr Edward Milne: There is general agreement that Britain needs a national exhibition centre. However, controversy has raged long and wide about the type of centre required and particularly about the raising of the necessary finance; how it should be raised and from where it should come. On 14th June, 1968, the Board of Trade issued a statement indicating the progress that had been made on the subject to that...
Mr Edward Milne: Can my right hon. Friend say when we can expect details arising from the statement by the President of the Board of Trade about the setting up of tourist boards for England, Wales and Scotland?
Mr Edward Milne: asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a progress report on the special development districts in the Blyth constituency, giving details of advance factories built, tenants secured and the number of jobs to be made available during the next 12 months.
Mr Edward Milne: Is my hon. Friend aware that while that represents a considerable success story of past achievements, the rate of progress in the months ahead to meet the impact of impending pit closures is of itself not sufficient, and will my hon. Friend inject some sort of urgency into her Department to speed up an already satisfactory programme?
Mr Edward Milne: asked the President of the Board of Trade what discussions have taken place with Norway and other European Free Trade Association countries concerning Great Britain's decision to impose a 10 per cent. import duty on frozen fish fillets; and what other alternatives were considered before the decision to impose a tariff was made.
Mr Edward Milne: Is my hon. Friend aware that there is some dissatisfaction at this Measure, introduced as it was, and there has been a general recession in the white fish industry? Does he agree that this was not necessarily the best way of dealing with that, and is he further aware that we have with Norway and the Scandinavian countries our best balance of payments relationships in Europe? Will he look at...
Mr Edward Milne: asked the Minister of Power if he is aware of the anomalies in different restrictive covenants and differing rent standards existing in connection with farmland held by the National Coal Board; and if he will introduce legislation to remove these anomalies.
Mr Edward Milne: Is my hon. Friend aware that that reply is extremely disappointing in view of the anomalies throughout the country, particularly in Northumberland, where one large tenant, Northumbria Farms Ltd., rents land at about 25s. an acre, while smaller farmers have to pay much more? Is he not aware that it is time these anomalies were ironed out?
Mr Edward Milne: asked the Minister of Power if he will undertake to examine the possibilities available of increasing the amount of coal to be used by the Central Electricity Generating Board in power stations throughout the country in order to slow down the contraction of the mining industry in areas of high unemployment; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Edward Milne: Is my right hon. Friend aware that, although this increase in consumption of coal for electricity and gas undertakings is very welcome, there is still room for about another £10 million to be consumed in this way? Will he undertake to make a study of this so as to help the areas of high unemployment in our coalfields?
Mr Edward Milne: The advertising industry, the subject of this Adjournment debate, has been surrounded at all times by controversy, discussion and argument. Yet for an industry which bases its whole activity on public presentation, very little is known about its extent and activities, except mainly in argument itself. All of us engaged in this discussion and controversy can, I believe, be accused of looking...
Mr Edward Milne: I cannot leave the quotations about the advertising industry without going back to another of the great authorities on the subject, Samuel Johnson, who said in 1759, The trade of advertising is now so near perfection that it is not easy to propose any provement. I am sure that at least that will gain many plaudits from the people who are generally critical of our attitude to the advertising...
Mr Edward Milne: The hon. Member for Worcestershire, South (Sir G. Nabarro) says "Very sensible". But if we are to talk about democratising the Army we had better look at the advertising sphere as well.
Mr Edward Milne: This is an Adjournment debate. Time, as the hon. Gentleman knows, is extremely limited. In dealing with public corporations and the nationalised industries, I want also to look at British Overseas Airways Corporation. I was rather disturbed, at the beginning of October, to read in The Times that a serious storm had blown up over B.O.A.C. passenger advertising and that a group of executives...
Mr Edward Milne: Can my right hon. Friend tell me when we can expect a statement from the President of the Board of Trade on the E.F.T.A. Ministerial Council meeting in Vienna and, arising from that, can he arrange for an early debate on the future of Europe in view of the wide anxiety about E.F.T.A. and the E.E.C. groupings?
Mr Edward Milne: asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will introduce legislation requiring employers to provide and maintain protective clothing for food handlers in the service, distributive and allied trades.
Mr Edward Milne: This is an extremely disappointing Answer, which fails to meet the demands of the situation. Does not my hon. Friend agree that the interest of hygiene demands the introduction of new legislation now?
Mr Edward Milne: asked the Postmaster-General what further investigations he has made into delays in postal deliveries; how many firms known as meter posters were involved in delays; and what was the nature of the complaints.